


Electric Jade, or The Doll Collector

by matrixrefugee



Category: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), 闇の末裔 | Yami No Matsuei | Descendants of Darkness
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 05:12:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18613849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matrixrefugee/pseuds/matrixrefugee
Summary: Muraki is delighted to test the capabilities of the new servant at Koka Kou Rou...





	Electric Jade, or The Doll Collector

**Author's Note:**

> Written for < lj user="love_bingo">'s "smitten". AU-ness; Kazutaka Muraki/Gigolo Joe

He had forbidden male consorts from his establishment, so as not to break with family tradition, but when a patron involved in robotics could not pay up his tab, Oriya accepted other means of payment, in this case, a slim, green-eyed male pleasure model. Through various channels, Oriya had found that this particular unit had escaped from a Flesh Fair in the United States and, by way of Canada, made the journey to Japan where freedom and a certain amount of autonomy awaited. No matter: it made for an interesting story, and the unit endeared itself to the patrons in the tearoom: even in the tasteful yukata that the tearoom servants wore, the unit looked exquisite. Not surprisingly, that included Muraki, though Oriya expressly forbade Joe to wait on the pale man's table. That hardly kept Muraki from watching the pleasure bot as the unit moved among the tables, refilling patrons' cups, kneeling beside them and chatting with them.

At length, Muraki beckoned Oriya to his table, taking his sleeve once he came close, and leaning in to whisper to him, not taking his gaze off Joe the whole time.

"Who is that young man?" Muraki asked.

"He's more like a what, but he has enough of a personality that he's more like a who," Oriya replied. "I took him in trade from a patron in robotics."

"Mmm, you always had a habit of taking in strays," Muraki noted. "Those cats you let the maids feed, and some of the maids themselves."

"He earns his keep: he's made an impression on the customers," Oriya replied, choosing to ignore that jab.

"Hmm, and I thought that you did not allow male concubines at your establishment, or have I finally influenced you to change with the times?" Muraki asked, with a thin, smug smile.

"I'm considering a test of his capabilities on a select number of patrons," Oriya replied, stiffly. "I'd considered holding an unspoken auction to choose his first intimate patron." The predatory look in Muraki's eyes suggested he hoping to find a spot on that list of possibilities.

"Hmm, the Hollywood version of a _mizuage_? Then I'll take care to bid high enough to be his Doctor Crab," Muraki replied, his smirk turning mischievous, but Oriya could see in his good eye that he was serious.

"I might just price the minimum bid too high for even your budget to handle," Oriya replied, looking at his friend sideways.

"If I cannot afford him, no one can," Muraki replied, lightly.

Even still, once Oriya quietly announced to his regulars whose tastes ran to the sterner sex that Joe's first night was up for auction, Muraki's payment was the largest sum.

And so Muraki was the one admitted to one of the private rooms, where Joe awaited, sitting on the bed, his yukata loosened and slipped off his shoulders.

"Doctor, your patient awaits you," Joe said, as Muraki sat down beside him.

Muraki chuckled. "And am I to treat you for some illness? I thought that beings such as you felt no pain or knew no illness, or at least, none that my skill would require."

"You must see plenty of that in your profession, and no doubt, you do much to restore your patients to health."

"I see more than I care to, and on days like that, I feel powerless against it."

Joe turned to him, reaching out to touch his face. "Shall I ease that sense of powerlessness? Do you wish me to lie beneath you, or do you want to lay back and let me make love to you?"

Muraki leaned in, slipping a hand behind the smaller male's waist. "I would rather be the one above you," he said.

He knew that the other was not human, that he lacked a human soul and thus lacked the spirit which produced the energy which he needed to survive.

He felt the tendrils of his inner self fan out, reaching down to his companion of the night, but his inner nature felt nothing respond, no field of energy to tap into. He felt the demon roil within him and withdraw into the back of his brain, taking some of his ardor with him, causing his flesh to lose some it's excitement.

The mannikin noticed this response and stared up at him. "You look troubled, Muraki-sensei," he said. "Have I done something to offend you?" The youth's expression, however programmed, was enough to disarm the anger and discontent that had started to arise in Muraki's heart.

"Human frailty, my poppet, nothing more," Muraki said, turning over onto his side. "Every man has a night when the spirit is more inspired than the flesh can respond. I am not as young as I seem."

"Shall I lie atop you, the better to comfort you?" Joe offered, clearly wishing to please his patron.

Muraki smirked. "I would be rude to refuse such an offer, so generously made," he said, drawing the smaller male to him and letting him fulfill his offer.

Once the living mannikin had left, Muraki drew up the covers and curled up beneath them, letting the self-loathing and the unsatisfied hunger seethe within him.

_And what did you expect to accomplish? You knew that you couldn't experience what you could in Tsuzuki's arms, so why did you indulge yourself? Loneliness? Boredom? A sense of shame? A desire to plunge headfirst into your own self-disgust and be muddied by it?_

_...Only to be able to cleanse yourself in Tsuzuki's arms, once you find him again?_

Even still, he knew he would be back for more: even if he could not feed from the youth, he could not resist another round, the next time that he called on Oriya's establishment. _You're like a honeybee circling a cluster of fake flowers,_ he told himself. But perhaps this was the universe's way of curbing his darkness and his hunger, reminding him that he was also human and more than his dark appetites.


End file.
